Heads up, this podcast contains explicit language.

My favorite album of the last year was No Surprise, Beyoncé's Renaissance,

a joyful sonic immersion made for dance players of all kinds.

There's disco, dance hall, bounce, house, gospel freestyle and funk,

all served up in this competent, sexy and fatty gumbo.

The album earned nine Grammy nominations and during the Sunday's telecast,

Beyoncé could win her first ever, much overdue award for album of the year.

I'm Aisha Harris and on this encore episode of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour,

we're talking about Beyoncé's album Renaissance.

Joining me today is writer Kiana Fitzgerald. Welcome back Kiana.

Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, it's great to have you.

Also with us, making his Pop Culture Happy Hour debut is music and cultural critic Craig Seymour,

welcome Craig. Hey, thanks for having me.

Such an honor. Yes, such an honor on our end as well.

So Renaissance is Beyoncé's first solo studio album since 2016's lemonade,

but she's obviously been busy the last six years.

She gave us the homecoming concert at Coachella, plus two other major projects.

The album Everything Is Love, her collaboration with Husband Jay-Z,

and a soundtrack and visual album to accompany the 2019 remake of The Lion King.

Now, her new album Renaissance man 16 tracks and multiple decades of musical influences.

The list of collaborators is so long, it includes go to producer the dream,

now Rogers, Grace Jones, Big Freeda, Tams and Sid,

...